The flowers are intended as one pot per table setting. The idea is that people could take them away as a 'wedding favour'. As far as I can see the colour scheme is 'bright'. The celebration is being held in a barn which is quite dark, I think lots of little points of colour on the white tablecloths will look OK (?)
I have a small greenhouse, and very large polytunnel. I thonk I'll probably have to grow them outdoors. In the poly I think they'll get drawn and lanky, although I could germinate in there.
The pots are very small. only 3 inch. I think that dahlias, geraniums and fuscias might be too big. Do you think eschalonia would be OK? and how about californian poppy, -will that travel do you think? How about dwarf phlox? how dwarf do they get? I'm not sure about marigolds, I don't like the smell, and if it's actually on the table beside you it might be overpowering.
I like the idea of gerberas, but can I get small varieties, and will I have time to sow them, or should I but plugs?
What a beautiful idea, lots of work for mum though! I dont think you can get small varieties of gerberas, but they do come in fab colours and theyre not too big, so you might get away with them. I am really lucky to have Little Brook fuchsias literally just up the road from me and Carol sells her small but sturdy plants in 3" pots (sq not round though) and some I bought the other day already have flowers on so they will definitely flower by June. Do you have such a nursery near by for plants? I thought eschalonia was a shrub?Californian poppies can grow quite big, up to 4 foot apparently. Although I would think most things will stay fairly "dwarf" in a small pot, a bit like bonsai trees? Dwarf Phlox sounds lovely too and would have scent. And of course there is heliotrope which comes in blues and purples, the common one has the most delicious scent - like cherry pie, which is their nickname. I think if I were you, I would be cheeky and ring some professional growers for tips, plus to see if I could get a deal on plug plants. Jersey plants direct do lots of plugs as do T&M and Suttons, and loads of others but jersey plants are the only ones with gerbera plugs. All this AND looking fab as mother of the bride! Sounds like you relish a challenge
Oops, I did mean Eschsolzia, calfornian poppy, I think I've found some dwarf ones. I'm hoping that things will be 'bonsaied'
Heliotrope sounds good I really like the scent. I wondered about fuscias, but perhaps they'd just look scraggy in a small pot? I thought about dwarf antirhimums, you can get those in a variety of colours, and there's campanula carpatica, which should form nice mounds of flowers.
One problem is that it's not really time for summer flowers, I'm hoping I can bring stuff on, but a bad spring...
Some of the small flowered basket plants would look good - I am assuming each guest would have a pot on their table ? Here are a few plants that could be suitable
Sanvitalia - small yellow daisies
Variegated Felicia - small blue daisies but pretty foliage too
Bacopa - small white or blue flowers
Begonia semperfloruns - red,white pink and readily available as plugs to grow on
Verbena - many colours readily available as plugs
Ageratum - blue dwarf varieties available as plugs
small flowered Petunias - all sorts of colours available as plugs
There are some small flowered Fuchsias - La Campanella for instance that would be o.k
You could try for a garden of colours and textures on each table - it would look gorgeous
Polly's idea to visit jersey plants etc. is a good one
I hope it goes well for you I am a bit of a bedding plant maniac so if I can help at all please shout
You can get mixed Lobelia from the garden catalogues out now - approx 150 plants for about £10 x that by 2 and I think they'd be brilliant, so total outlay would be about £20 for the plants and you already have pots. Keeps it simple.
The pots are quite small. How am I'm going to get reasonable sized plants with nice foliage and a good show of flowers? Do I need to fertilise, rich in phosphus (roots and shoots) and potassium (flowers). Comfrey juice? tomato fertiliser?
How often? How much? Obviously not too much 'cause the pots are small!
Posts
Thanks Polly,
The flowers are intended as one pot per table setting. The idea is that people could take them away as a 'wedding favour'. As far as I can see the colour scheme is 'bright'. The celebration is being held in a barn which is quite dark, I think lots of little points of colour on the white tablecloths will look OK (?)
I have a small greenhouse, and very large polytunnel. I thonk I'll probably have to grow them outdoors. In the poly I think they'll get drawn and lanky, although I could germinate in there.
The pots are very small. only 3 inch. I think that dahlias, geraniums and fuscias might be too big. Do you think eschalonia would be OK? and how about californian poppy, -will that travel do you think? How about dwarf phlox? how dwarf do they get? I'm not sure about marigolds, I don't like the smell, and if it's actually on the table beside you it might be overpowering.
I like the idea of gerberas, but can I get small varieties, and will I have time to sow them, or should I but plugs?
Thanks everyone,
The important thing I think is COLOUR.
What a beautiful idea, lots of work for mum though! I dont think you can get small varieties of gerberas, but they do come in fab colours and theyre not too big, so you might get away with them. I am really lucky to have Little Brook fuchsias literally just up the road from me and Carol sells her small but sturdy plants in 3" pots (sq not round though) and some I bought the other day already have flowers on so they will definitely flower by June. Do you have such a nursery near by for plants? I thought eschalonia was a shrub?Californian poppies can grow quite big, up to 4 foot apparently. Although I would think most things will stay fairly "dwarf" in a small pot, a bit like bonsai trees? Dwarf Phlox sounds lovely too and would have scent. And of course there is heliotrope which comes in blues and purples, the common one has the most delicious scent - like cherry pie, which is their nickname. I think if I were you, I would be cheeky and ring some professional growers for tips, plus to see if I could get a deal on plug plants. Jersey plants direct do lots of plugs as do T&M and Suttons, and loads of others but jersey plants are the only ones with gerbera plugs. All this AND looking fab as mother of the bride! Sounds like you relish a challenge
Thank Polly,
Oops, I did mean Eschsolzia, calfornian poppy, I think I've found some dwarf ones. I'm hoping that things will be 'bonsaied'
Heliotrope sounds good I really like the scent. I wondered about fuscias, but perhaps they'd just look scraggy in a small pot? I thought about dwarf antirhimums, you can get those in a variety of colours, and there's campanula carpatica, which should form nice mounds of flowers.
One problem is that it's not really time for summer flowers, I'm hoping I can bring stuff on, but a bad spring...
I knew it was a good idea to ask on this board!
Thank everyone,
Lottie
The planning and co-ordination would be beyond me. I'd be round the GCs a few days before, buying what was at point of flower
In the sticks near Peterborough
That's still an option!
Some of the small flowered basket plants would look good - I am assuming each guest would have a pot on their table ? Here are a few plants that could be suitable
Sanvitalia - small yellow daisies
Variegated Felicia - small blue daisies but pretty foliage too
Bacopa - small white or blue flowers
Begonia semperfloruns - red,white pink and readily available as plugs to grow on
Verbena - many colours readily available as plugs
Ageratum - blue dwarf varieties available as plugs
small flowered Petunias - all sorts of colours available as plugs
There are some small flowered Fuchsias - La Campanella for instance that would be o.k
You could try for a garden of colours and textures on each table - it would look gorgeous
Polly's idea to visit jersey plants etc. is a good one
I hope it goes well for you
I am a bit of a bedding plant maniac so if I can help at all please shout 
Pam LL x
http://www.jerseyplantsdirect.com/?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=jersey%20plants&utm_campaign=Brand%2B-%2BExact
You can get mixed Lobelia from the garden catalogues out now - approx 150 plants for about £10 x that by 2 and I think they'd be brilliant, so total outlay would be about £20 for the plants and you already have pots. Keeps it simple.
Sally
use wildflowers nectar rich as per RHS pollinators plant list
Wildflowers sound good, but a bit difficult to organise? Have you any ideas about which, small mounds with lots of bright flowers?
The pots are quite small. How am I'm going to get reasonable sized plants with nice foliage and a good show of flowers? Do I need to fertilise, rich in phosphus (roots and shoots) and potassium (flowers). Comfrey juice? tomato fertiliser?
How often? How much? Obviously not too much 'cause the pots are small!